"Terbalik" to get remake in 34 countries

21 Aug – "Terbalik" ("Upside Down") made history in the local film industry by being the first Malaysian movie to sign with Ivanhoe Pictures, a financing and production company based in the US, for its remake rights to be available for thirty-four countries worldwide.

Director Yasu Tanaka claims the deal will place local movies on a global platform while proving the capability of the country's movies to attract the attention of foreign film producers.

"When we were at the Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) in Hong Kong, we were approached by representatives of Ivanhoe Pictures who have read the script and expressed their hopes for the remake rights which will be available for thirty-four countries," he says during the press conference of "Terbalik" at Finas, Hulu Kelang recently.

Yasu Tanaka during the presentation of his new movie.

According to Yasu, some of the countries that will be involved with the film's remake are North America, France, United Kingdom, China, South Korea, Spain, Latin America, India and Vietnam.

Bea Tanaka, 42nd Pictures Sdn Bhd producer and wife of the filmmaker, also expresses her excitement for the foreign attention that the remake is garnering despite it not being made yet.

When asked about the remake deals' details, Bea informs that her company will receive a certain percentage of the overall film cost for every remake and also another certain percentage from its global box office revenue.

"Terbalik" tells the story of a famous actor Brian (Bront Palarae), who is involved in a car accident in the mountainside en route to his shooting site. As his car is flipped upside down following its fall off the cliff, Brian finds himself unable to move with his legs stuck inside the car. Brian cries for help as he sees a teenager pass by, but soon finds his relief to be short-lived as the teenager returns with his brother and friend the next day to torture him.